Picture Us | Zhuo Zhi

thirty-two

g o i n g  o u t

Once they're away from everyone, Nam quickly releases Zhuo's hand, embarrassed she grabbed it in the first place.

"Sorry," she says, not sure what to do now that she's done that.

"I don't mind," Zhuo reassures.

Nam awkwardly coughs. "Uh... Where are we going?"

"I thought we'd stop by Wong's."

"Okie," she says while taking her camera from her bag, letting it hang off of her neck.

"Do you have a lot of homework?" Zhuo asks, not wanting to burden Nam by taking up too much of her time.

"Not really. I just have to finish the work that I didn't get to in class today," she answers.

"Oh, but I thought you were very studious," he teases.

"It's your fault for distracting me!" Nam indignantly says, but then realizes her mistake.

"But I'm not in your class," he slyly responds.

"Well... I was, um... thinking about what we'd do after school," she quietly answers, cheeks bright pink from embarrassment.

"I didn't know you thought of me so much," Zhuo half-teases, half-genuine and shocked.

All Nam is able to manage is a mumbled "maybe," cheeks a deep shade of red as her mind fails to keep up with the hope in her heart, and jitters in her stomach.

So she does what she does best, and snaps a photo of Zhuo while he's chuckling. What she doesn't expect, though, is for him to stand there, if only for a moment, speechless- speechless and flustered? That can't be right, Nam thinks.

-

The two arrive at Wong's, and unsurprisingly, business is crowded.

"Wait here. I'll be quick with our drinks," Zhuo says.

"Oh... okay," Nam agrees.

She stays content to watch the chickens outside of the bakery, mind going aloof. She doesn't understand. Why's she so nervous right now?

Okay- she knows why. Ever since Nam's concluded that she may, just possibly, like Zhuo Zhi, but like- a bit more than just 'like,' her mind's been a mess, seemingly working overtime. Not to mention the way she's positive her heart just speeds up a bit more when he talks to her at practice, or glances at her in the halls at school. So maybe, just maybe, she knows that she's just being too tense and scared of making a fool of herself to do anything at all.

So stupid! Nam scolds herself. Zhi is your senior. And friend. Friend- that word doesn't seem enough.

Zhi comes back out with a honey milk tea for Nam, exactly the drink that she'd wanted.

"Thanks, Zhi... How'd you know?" she wonders.

He almost seems to chuckle nervously.

"I actually remember your order from when we first met. You had ordered this drink without even looking at the menu. I figured it was a favorite for you," he admits.

Nam's brain short-circuits for a minute. What am I supposed to say to that? she questions.

But she doesn't have to respond, because Zhi grabs her free hand, effectively making Nam yelp in shock, and also have her ears heat up.

"W- wha-" Nam stutters.

Zhi softly chuckles as he fondly looks down at Nam. She freezes, not sure if she should avoid his gaze- or if she could.

"Nam, I wanted to tell you something."

"O- okay."

"Do you remember the first time we met? And I said that you would owe me a favor?"

Nam nods as her mind goes to the worst outcomes first, not wanting false hope. Does he want to end our friendship? she worries. She bites the inside of her cheek in an attempt to hide her thoughts.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" Zhi asks, only slightly nervous.

"Huh?" Nam loudly exclaims, very confused. There's no way he means it.

"Lu Nam, I would like to take you out somewhere, on a real date," he confesses.

Too embarrassed to say anything, Nam clutches onto Zhi's arm, nodding while shyly looking down.

He softly chuckles as she leans into him. I could spend a while like this, he thinks.

"Come on, I'll walk you home," he says instead.

"Was today a date?" Nam quietly asks.

"No. Our date will be special. When we have one, you'll be sure," he answers, still chock-full of charisma.

"I wonder what my dad and Xia will think," she says.

"Don't worry. I actually asked your dad already," he responds, smirk evident.

Nam finally puts the pieces together- why Zhi wanted to privately speak with her father.

"So, when's our date?" she asks.

"How about after our next tournament?"

"Okie. You better win."

Zhuo chuckles. "I plan on it." He adds with a clear grin, "Anything to make you proud."

Nam blushes and hides her face in his arm. A quiet complaint of "That's not fair!" can be heard.

A/N- hi!! i'm back~ hopefully writer's block is over, but i don't think that'll ever ever stop me from thinking that me writing romance will be cringy. but at least i'm back to updating :)